Are You a Shusher or a Shushee?

Jerry Seinfeld once asked, “What’s happening to me? Can I do this? Am I a shusher? I used to be a shushee!”

I know how he felt.

I used to be the rowdy one until I had kids. Now I’m the one constantly telling them to be quiet.

I’ve gone from being a shushee to being a shusher!

Then a couple of nights ago I asked my four-year old daughter, Madison, what her favourite bible story was.

She told me that she likes the one when Jesus let the children come to him despite the people who didn’t want them to. And then He let them make as much noise as they wanted to.

Ouch!

For those who don’t know the story, the first part is in the bible, the second part about the noise she added in herself. I realised that I had become too much of a shusher and I probably needed to let her (and her similarly rowdy brothers) be herself a bit more.

Are you a shusher or a shushee?

Are you the one making noise or the one trying to shut everyone up?

Are you the one generating new ideas or the one resisting change?

Are you the one leading from the front or the one criticising from behind?

Are you the one encouraging others to be their best or the one afraid to be shown up by the abilities of others?

I pray that I can start shushing less and perhaps be shushed a bit more.

10 comments

Darren, I am most definitely a “shushee”. My exuberance gets really, really fatiguing for my family and friends sometimes! I am in love with your little daughter for adding that part about Jesus letting the children make all the noise they wanted to! Bless her–and you and all your household, Coach Darren!